More Articles politics

comment

Turnout is typically very low in even the hardest-fought special elections, in part because voters simply don't expect polling places to be open in April.

But both sides in the Westchester Senate race are optimistic that people will come out to vote on Tuesday, April 24. The race to fill George Latimer's vacant state Senate seat is the highest-profile race among the 11 legislative special elections to be decided statewide.

Turnout is important beyond its role in determining whether Rye Republican Julie Killian or Democratic Assemblywoman Shelley Mayer of Yonkers wins the seat vacated after Latimer won election as county executive in November. It could provide the best measure yet of the competing narratives that seek to explain why Democrats like Latimer have performed well in the “blue wave” that has recently washed over the state.

“I think it’ll be higher than that,” said Killian campaign manager Michael Lawler. “There’s energy on both sides. Obviously you have Democrats who are energized by what happened in the presidential race two years ago. I think a lot of Republicans are energized by the fact that [former county executive] Rob Astorino lost and they want to make sure they have somebody who’s representing the taxpayers.”

Democrats supporting Mayer see the race as the next chapter in a narrative in which liberals mobilize an unprecedented amount of energy and involvement driven by a desire to combat President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Turnout is usually very low in even the hardest-fought special elections, in part because voters simply don't expect polls to be open in April. But both sides in the Westchester Senate race are optimistic that people will come out to vote.

Democrats supporting Mayer see the race as the next chapter in a narrative in which liberals mobilize an unprecedented amount of energy and involvement driven by a desire to combat President Donald Trump’s agenda.